Amusement-vehicle.



PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.'.

R..F. RICE. AMUSEMENT VEHICLE, urmm rlou rmzp 0619 905.

soesnr r. rues,

' arnsir orrcn or si-unosronr. ,CONKEC'LICU",

AMUSEEWEENT VEHlCLE.

' especially illusory vehicles designed to be op- 'eny suitable lilQEtlIS QS,

erated upon a track, as in connection with e scenic railway or similar attraction and in imitation of an automobile or touring-car.

The object of my invent ion is to provide an inexpensive but attractive vehicle in the form of an imita ion automobile or touringcer which shallbe especially adapted to be 0' ereted upon pleseine-railways similar to t ose found at pleasure resorts and for the einusement and pleasure of patrons.

In practice my car may be propelled by for instance, electricity employed through. a third rail. It would preferably be operated upon a circular or endless track, as is the custom with amusements of the above'sort, having a single sts.- tion Where the patrons in and out. At this particular location or station in the road I provide special n'ie-a-ns for carrying out the illusory effect of it touring-car for the deception and amusement of the patrons and the public, which feature, in connection with the special construction of car, comprises the substai'ice of the invention, as will later be more fully explained.

A preferable design of tract-1 for the use of my car would be an endless track inclosed throughoutby a covering except at the station,""so called, where the pesseiiigers-enter and leave the car and would he provided with scenic and other attractions along the side of the roadway.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, similar characters of reference denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures, and of which-- Figure 1 shows it perspective view of a. pleasure-car designed in accordance with my invention and mounted upon a track and located at the station, so called, or platform where the passengers enter and leave the car. Fig. 2 is 21 detail l'till' end view of one-half of the car, showing 21 bit of the Sill. {lull-{)ltiiiwi'iii shown in Fig. i. Fig. 3 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 9,

the following is it specifice-- Patented June 5, recs. 1905. SerialNo. 281,926.

' detail side elevation of the rear portion of the running-gear'of the car, and Fig. t is a detail to the stiitio'n to be engaged by and operate the extra idle or automobile wheels of the can as the same passes the station. i

Referring in detail to the characters of refcrence marked upon. the drawings, A indie cates the sleepers, and B thereils which constitute the tracks and which may be of any common or preferred construction, but prefercoinmodate the four-flanged car-wheels C, supporting the truck-frame D beneath the car-body The-body of the car provided with front and rear seats, is upholstered, and is provided with side entrances to the seat in imitation of a high-grade touringcar and can be provided with many of the little accessories commonly found on automobiles, but purposely omitted from the draw ings. The car is further provided with springs F, intermediate of the truck-frame and car-body, to insure ease of riding.

G represents a platform which is located at the station or point ,ofstoppage of the car and in practice is arrenged nboutin line with the running-board H of the our, 'whicliplat' form,- together with running-board, shields the truck of the cur join the patrons at that particular point. renders ll extend up from each end of the running-board and are deflected back over the idler-wheels J in it way "to further obscure the running-gear from the patrons upon the platform, as well as to obscure the-said iCllQT-Wl1t3l from the passengers while in the cor.

Theseidlei whecis, of which there are four in number, are mounted upon the outer end of b tickets i s. 'tziohotl to and extending out from the t-... and are thus located just outside of the lit '1 nuwhecls C of the truck in imitation oi massive :uiton'iobilw wheels and are further designed to operate only the car is passing the station and are carried idle throughout the renuiinder of the run of the cur invisible from the patrons in the car, as will obviously be apparent. The means by which these wheels are operated while passing the station comprises a short rail L, mounted upon suitable springs M in line with the movement. of the said idlerwheels, which springs tend to normally hold the said rail up in line with the said iI'iIiVQl of the wheels and against the same as they roll over it, thus causing the wheels to turn only perspective view of a short rail used adjacent ably in the form of an endless roadway to 210- rail as indicated, is in the i'orln of an inverted trough having deflected side flanges N -to engage the sides of the flat sheet-metal springs,

upon which the said track loosely lies. The ends 0 of the said friction-rail are bent downslightly to insure the wheels riding thereon,

"rail in the path of travel 01' the said idlerwheels' adapted to be frictionally engaged as is obviously desired";

From the above construction, and as seen in Fig. 1, it' will be apparent that the truck and driving mechanism would be hidden from view as the ear is started from the sta-.

tion and'moves off in-imitation of an auto--' mobile, with its idler-wheels in motion until such time as when the end of the friction-rail is reached, when the said wheels would run off and become disengaged-and then carried idly and obscure from thn'station or occupants of the car. It will further be apparent that when the car again approaches the station-from the opposite direction and the end of the friction-rail is again engaged by the idler wheels the latter will be again put into motion by the movement of car and will come into the station with said wheels in full opera tion, presenting an admirable illusory effect.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

-1. In an amusement-vehicle, the combina tion with a car mounted upon a wheeled truck, of an 'extra set of idler-wheels carried by the car,'and means for engaging said idlerwheels at certain times to insure their rotation.

2. In an amusement-vehicle, the combination with awheel-trueked car, of a set of idlerwheels carried by the car, and-a short rail to ;be engaged by the said idler-wheels to rotate the same at certain points in the travel of the car.

3. In an amusement-vehicle, the combination with a wheeled-truck car and a. track therefor, of a set of normally idler wheels car riedby the car, and a spring-actuated short thereby.

4. In an amusement-vehicle, the combination with a track and car mounted thereon, of an extra set of idler-wheels carried by the car and normally out of engagement, and a short rail beside the track in line. with the travel of the said idler-wheels to engage and operate the same while the car is passing over said short rail.- r y 5. In an amusement-vehicle, the combina;-

tion with a car andt'rack, of a set of idlerwheels carried by said car, a short rail in line of the travelof the said idler-wheels to be frictionally engaged thereby, and agrplatformwdjacent the short rail. I

6. In an amusrhent-vehiclafthe combination with a car and wheeled truck, of an extra set of idler-wheels secured to the said cartruck, and located exterior of the truckwheels, and a short rail to be engaged by the said idler-wheels or operating the same. Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut-.this 6th day of Oetolier 'A. D. 1.905.

' ROBERT F. RICE.

Witnesses: I M. NEWMAN, WILLIAM V. Dnvrrrr. 

